A man riding a bicycle was killed Thursday in a crash with a tractor-trailer about 500 yards from the entrance to Penn State New Kensington.Upper Burrell police said Mark Popovich, 56, of New Kensington, was headed to the university campus when the fatal accident happened on 7th Street Road (Route 780).VIDEO: Watch Ashlie Hardway's reportPolice Chief Kenneth Pate said Popovich appeared to be an avid bicyclist and was wearing a helmet."From what it appears to me, he was an avid cyclist. He had a bright shirt on, the helmet, the bicyclist shoes," Pate said.Based on interviews with the truck driver and other witnesses, police said it appears that the driver was trying to pass Popovich while allowing enough space, and the bicyclist lost control on loose gravel and fell into the truck's path."It looks like he did what he was required to do in yielding to a bicyclist. He could only go so far due to traffic in the eastbound lane," Pate said. "Right now, it looks like just an accident. With the way things happened, it was the perfect storm, unfortunately."The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police said the driver was taken to the hospital for a blood sample, which is standard protocol for commercial drivers involved in crashes.Stay with WTAE.com and the WTAE mobile app for more details. Follow updates from Pittsburgh's Action News 4 reporter Ashlie Hardway on Twitter @AshlieWTAE.

UPPER BURRELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. —

A man riding a bicycle was killed Thursday in a crash with a tractor-trailer about 500 yards from the entrance to Penn State New Kensington.

Upper Burrell police said Mark Popovich, 56, of New Kensington, was headed to the university campus when the fatal accident happened on 7th Street Road (Route 780).

Police Chief Kenneth Pate said Popovich appeared to be an avid bicyclist and was wearing a helmet.

"From what it appears to me, he was an avid cyclist. He had a bright shirt on, the helmet, the bicyclist shoes," Pate said.

Based on interviews with the truck driver and other witnesses, police said it appears that the driver was trying to pass Popovich while allowing enough space, and the bicyclist lost control on loose gravel and fell into the truck's path.

"It looks like he did what he was required to do in yielding to a bicyclist. He could only go so far due to traffic in the eastbound lane," Pate said. "Right now, it looks like just an accident. With the way things happened, it was the perfect storm, unfortunately."

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police said the driver was taken to the hospital for a blood sample, which is standard protocol for commercial drivers involved in crashes.